Feather Duster Invasion or The start of Aiptasia!!

[Brennon D.]

I was about to do a water change when I saw these guys in the back of my tank. I need to be certain if this is aiptasia as this is not to be taken lightly if untaken care of it will over run my tank. If they are feather dusters I will leave them alone. The tank has been up and running about 2 years nothing new added or changed. I have 2 pieces of coral I started with and that is all I used by fragging. So impossible for that to be the cause. If it by chance is aiptasia they only way it could have possibly entered was feeding frozen fish foods which I don’t know if that is even possible to get them that way. I already know what Im going to do if it’s aiptasia. I will get berghia nudibranchs but I will have to put my puffer in a quarantine tank while they do their job as he’d eat them.

 

[MnFish1]

It is not aiptasia, but indeed feather dusters. Which can also 'take over' a tank (more slowly) - are they just inside the filter/overflow (which is what it looks like) - or in the tank itself?

 

[Mikedawg]

The hard tube like body identifies these as feather dusters or related species; if you look up aiptasia anatomy, the difference is clear.

 

[MnFish1]

The hard tube like body identifies these as feather dusters or related species; if you look up aiptasia anatomy, the difference is clear.

No pun intended?

 

[QuarantinedCorals]

those are feather dusters, those are good filter feeders and if they're growing in your overflow I would leave them. If they take over the display, some wrasses will eat them.

 

[Dolphins18]

Dusters! I find them quite attractive in low light high nutrient tanks!
There are many different species of these and we likely have different ones, but cool little things imo, also harmless.

If you want to get rid of them, drain your overflows for about 30 minutes, the shells get extremely soft after being exposed to air for a little while and will fall right off with a tooth brush scrubbing. They are beneficial in most cases, so I wouldn't remove them personally

 

[Brennon D.]

It is not aiptasia, but indeed feather dusters. Which can also 'take over' a tank (more slowly) - are they just inside the filter/overflow (which is what it looks like) - or in the tank itself?

I noticed them in the over flow and up high in the corners of my tank where the closeup photo was taken. I also have 4 little ones in my rockwork cave. The photos do no justice they are much tinier than perceived in the photo. I have an iPhone 11 Pro Max thats why the photos were good. I dont mind feather dusters in the overflow but dont want them to over run the display. Can you manually remove them with no consequences?

 

[Brennon D.]

Im

those are feather dusters, those are good filter feeders and if they're growing in your overflow I would leave them. If they take over the display, some wrasses will eat them.

Im limited on what I can get. I currently have a flame angle, valentini puffer, & 2 black storm ocellaris clownfish. Im about to add a orchid dotty back to help with bristle worm population. I dont want them eradicated but kept in check because mine are not fire worms and they are pretty useful. I just put traps every so often to get the ones starting to get big.

 

[Dolphins18]

I noticed them in the over flow and up high in the corners of my tank where the closeup photo was taken. I also have 4 little ones in my rockwork cave. The photos do no justice they are much tinier than perceived in the photo. I have an iPhone 11 Pro Max thats why the photos were good. I dont mind feather dusters in the overflow but dont want them to over run the display. Can you manually remove them with no consequences?

In my experience, those little ones on the overflow don’t often grow in the tank with overflows. I had what seemed what millions in a 20 yr old 90, but next to none in any illuminated areas.

 

[Brennon D.]

In my experience, those little ones on the overflow don’t often grow in the tank with overflows. I had what seemed what millions in a 20 yr old 90, but next to none in any illuminated areas.

Must be stuff for them to eat if they are thriving maybe they are eating copepods

 

[Dolphins18]

Must be stuff for them to eat if they are thriving maybe they are eating copepods

I think they just feed on nutrients in the column. The tank pictured above has always had extremely high nitrates.

 

[Brennon D.]

Must be stuff for them to eat if they are thriving maybe they are eating

I think they just feed on nutrients in the column. The tank pictured above has always had extremely high nitrates.

I do weekly water changes because of the puffers messy eating habbits plus being overstocked

 

[Brennon D.]

I take 15 gallons out each time

 

[Brennon D.]

I take 15 gallons out each time

Plus I have my protein skimmer running on overdrive I wet skim to empty the collection cup 2-3 times a day.

 

[Brennon D.]

I take 15 gallons out each time

Plus I have my protein skimmer running on overdrive I wet skim to empty the collection cup 2-3 times a day

 

[MnFish1]

I believe they eat small particles as compared to chemicals. I personally would leave them - unless they start getting out of hand. You would not want them growing down into your pipes, etc for example.